MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5008, 4 July 1903, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

FRIDAY, .TOLY 3. (Before Dr A. McArthur. S.M.) Two first-offenders, charged with drunkenness, wore convicted. Oolin C'.impboll was fined 10s. Alary Joyce denied being an idle and a disorderly person in that she had no visible lawful means of support. The police deposed that the defendant was a woman of ill-fame of the lowest and dirtiest class. She had only recently been discharged from gaol. Since then she had not done any work or tried to reform. A sentence of two 'months’ imprisonment with hard labour was imposed. CHARGE AGAINST A LICENSEE. Walter Lewis, licensee of the Shamrock Hotel, Molesworth street, pleaded not guilty to having permitted drunkenness on his licensed premises on June 3rd. Mr Skorrott appeared for the defendant and Sub-Inspector O’Donovan for the prosecution. The information was laid under section 140 of the Licensing Act, 1891. Philip (McLaughlin, residing in Brook street, said that on Juno 3rd ho went to the Pier Hotel about 2.30 in the afternoon and had three pints of shandy. Between live and six o’clock bo went to tho Post Oflico Hotel and had four pints of shandy. Soon after six o’clock ho went to the Commercial Hotel, and had one pint ox shandy. On his way homo ho called at the Hotel Cecil, and had a pint of shandy there. He arrived homo about eight o’clock, had a drink "of tea and aboutlia/f an hour afterwards went to the Shamrock Hotel. He could not say what his condition, was then ns regarded sobriety. There was a girl (“Minnie”) behind the bar, and five or sis men were standing at tho bar. Witness bad three pints of shandy at the Shamrock and as far as he could remember a man named Courtenay paid for them. Witness was subsequently arrested and fined for having been drunk in the bar of the Shamrock Hotel, Samuel Courtenay deposed that ho saw McLaughlin in tho public bar of the Shamrock Hotel about a quarter or hall-past eight on tho evening of June 3rd. At short intervals during the evening witness “shoutou” McLaughlin three shandies. Just as lie was drinking tho last one, a constable appeared o,n the scone. It was then about ton o’clock and McLaughlin was under tho influence of drink. Catherine McLaughlin, wife of Philip McLaughlin, dejioscd that her husband was drunk when ho came homo about eight o’clock on the evening of tho Prince of Wales’s birthday. Minnie Callinan deposed that sho supplied botli McLaughlin and Courtenay with one drink each at tho Shamrock H.tcl on the night in question. Sho did not know that McLaughlin was drunk. Constable Datson deposed that be hoard a row in tho Shamrock Hotel between nine and ten o’clock in tiio evening. Witness subsequently saw the defendant turning McLaughlin out of the hotel, Ho was then drunk, and witness arrested him. • ’’ Cross-examined by Mr Skerrett, witness said McLaughlin was able to walk to tho police station without assistance. Had he not been quarrelsome witness would not havo arrested him. Peter Lillie stated that he saw McLaughlin enter the Shamrock Hotel on tho evening of Juno 3rd. Ho then appeared to bo perfectly sober. During the evening McLaughlin had several drinks. Ho stood on'witness’s foot and subsequently a scuffle eventuated between them and McLaughlin was put out. Mr Skerrett submitted that this class of prosecution gave licensees very littje encouragement to call in tho assistance of the police to turn out men who misconducted themselves. Tho 110*01 was a well-conducted one, and counsel submitted there was nothing to show that McLaughlin was not perfectly well able to look after himself. Edward Luncy and Lizzie Duff gave evidence to say that McLaugldin was sober "when they saw him in the hotel. His Worship said the weight of evidence tended ito show that as far; as those who were in charge of tho bar and acting for the licensee were concerned, the man McLaughlin was not drunk. The case was accordingly dismissed.